Ducks Olympic profile: Bobby Ryan

The fact that Bobby Ryan is on the U.S. Olympic team and Mike Modano is not signifies one example of how Team USA general manager Brian Burke wanted to usher in a new era for USA Hockey.

But if it were up to Ryan, he would have loved a chance to play alongside his idol when the Olympic tournament begins Tuesday as the United States faces Switzerland to open the preliminary round.

The two became acquainted at the Team USA orientation camp back in August.

"I thought it would have been really cool to play with him," the Ducks' winger said. "Obviously the team got picked differently and he gets to enjoy two weeks off. But it was nice to spend time with him this summer. I got to know him a little bit and talk to him. It was a cool thing for me."

As the highest-scoring American player of all time, Modano was the player Ryan imagined himself being as he grew up in southern New Jersey. Once the Ducks made the No. 9 sweater available – which hadn't been in use since former captain Paul Kariya left as a free agent – Ryan snapped it up to play tribute to Modano.

"He was always my favorite player," Ryan said of the Dallas Stars icon. "He was the reason I started wearing No. 9, obviously him being an American player. I looked up to him quite a bit.

"I loved how fast he was. How well he moved through traffic and stuff like that. You'd see the tail of his jersey hanging out and flying. It looked like he was fearless. His shot. He had a hell of a shot."

Ryan is emerging as one of the top U.S. players of the next generation as his 27 goals not only leads the Ducks but all current American-born players. He was a finalist for the Calder Trophy last season as rookie of the year after posting 31 goals and 57 points.

But that doesn't keep him from paying homage to his boyhood hero.

"I told him that I have one of his old auctioned sticks hanging in my room still back home in Jersey," Ryan said of his summer meeting with Modano. "He said it lets him know that he's getting up there too much.